Patrick Cargill stars in the hit 1970's sitcom Father Dear Father

Father Dear Father

Father Dear Father, 1968

Produced by Thames Television; Father Dear Father ran for 7 series over 5 years totalling 45 episodes and was a regular ratings winner for ITV.  The series returned like a number of successful sitcoms for an Australian version in 1978.

For the Australian version there were 2 series of 7 episodes each broadcast in 1978 and 1980.  Both Cargill Dyson reprise their respective roles, but there’s a St Bernard H.G. Wells is replaced by two new St Bernards G.K. and A.C. After authors G.K. Chesterton and Agatha Christie.

Summary

UK series

Patrick Cargill plays a divorced thriller writer, Patrick Glover, who finds himself responsible for the welfare and upbringing of his irrepressible teenage daughters Anna and Karen.

The two lively dolly-birds are always up to something, and their lively exploits cause Patrick many a difficult and embarrassing moment. He’s sometimes driven almost to distraction by their constant teasing and, to him, shockingly modern outlook on love, sex and marriage.

Helping Patrick keep Anna and Karen in order is the patient and much put-upon housekeeper, Nanny, but the real power in the household is the family’s splendid St Bernard dog, H.G. Wells.

Australian series

Five years after the original series ended Patrick and Nanny are back.  Set just a few years after the UK version, daughters Karen and Anna have married and left home, so Patrick decides to go to Australia to do some research for a book he is writing and takes Nanny along.

Intending to stay with his brother Jeffrey, things take a twist when Jeffrey unexpectedly has to travel to London for 6 months in connection with his work.  Worried about leaving his daughters, Liz  and Sue to fend for themselves while he is away Jeffrey asks if Patrick and Nanny if they would look after them.

Patrick begrudgingly agrees. Liz and Sue had been looking forward to being free of adult supervision while their father was away, so they’re initially unimpressed with the idea.

Clips

UK series

 

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Australian series

 

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Cast

Patrick Cargill
Ann Holloway
Natasha Pyne
Noel Dyson
Dawn Addams

Details

Directed By: William G. Stewart
Original Transmission Dates :
UK: 5th November 1968 – 6th February 1973
Australia: 25th June 1978 – 28th June 1980
Spin Offs: A Movie version of the same name was released in 1973